When it comes to straight razors, no one beats Dovo for quality and craftsmanship. This post will help you choose the best Dovo straight razors for your personal shaving needs.
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Dovo Best Quality Straight Razor (Our Top Pick)
This is Dovo’s most simple and straightforward model. It’s the best Dovo straight razor for beginners or anyone looking for utility over aesthetics. Its blade is as exceptionally constructed as other Dovo razors, but without the added cosmetic touches that raise the price.
The blade is made of carbon steel, which is Dovo’s material of choice. Carbon steel is a very hard metal that can be sharpened to an incredibly thin point. The vast majority of straight razor users prefer this kind of metal because it’s able to provide the smoothest, closest shave, even to very coarse hair.
The blade has a 5/8 inch width, which is also my go-to recommendation. It’s just the right size to give you control and maneuverability, but it’s still large enough to shave quickly and easily. It’s also wide enough to withstand decades of sharpening.
The only element in this razor that’s not super impressive is the plastic handle. On the positive side, the handle is light, so as a whole this razor is very balanced and comfortable to use.
That said, it does need to be handled a little more delicately to avoid breaking – resist the urge to open the razor up too aggressively. If you get to a point where you want to upgrade, it’s actually possible to buy replacement scales from Dovo, which will allow you to jazz up this simple straight razor while keeping costs reasonable.
Pros:
- Made with a carbon steel blade that can be sharpened to a very thin point, for a very close, effective shave.
- This simple, straightforward model is quite affordable.
- A 5/8 inch blade is the perfect size for both fast shaving and more controlled work.
- The handle can be replaced down the line with something more elegant.
Cons:
- The plastic handle is a little delicate and requires careful handling.
Dovo Straight Razor 1 Inox
The Inox stands out as one of very few Dovo razors made of stainless steel instead of carbon steel. It has a classy design that’ll suit beginners and experienced wet shavers alike, and is perfect for those who don’t want to spend a lot of time stropping.
Since the blade is made of stainless steel, it doesn’t have the potential to become as sharp as some of Dovo’s other razors. On the bright side, it’s significantly less fussy and doesn’t require as much maintenance.
The blade means 5/8 of an inch from the spine to the edge. This width is a nice balance because it gives you control over the smaller areas of the face, but it’s still wide enough to shave quickly and easily. It has a full hollow grind, which is most men’s go-to since it allows for a flexible, smooth shave.
The light brown handle is made of olive wood, so it’s quite light and easy to control, with a very comfortable grip. The aesthetic is light yet elegant, with a few gold flourishes on the blade that add a sense of luxury.
Pros:
- Made of stainless steel, this straight razor doesn’t require as much sharpening or stropping.
- full hollow grind and 5/8 inch width are the ideal blade specs for most wet shavers for flexibility and maneuverability.
- Very lightweight makes for easy, comfortable shaving and reduces the risk of overapplying pressure.
- This razor has a great aesthetic, with gold plating on the blade and a classy olive wood handle.
Cons:
- The blade cannot achieve the same intense level of sharpness as carbon steel ones.
Dovo Bismarck Straight Razor
The Bismarck is a more heavy-duty straight razor that’ll work best for men with wider faces or very coarse growth. In my humble opinion, it’s also Dovo’s most attractive straight razor, with an ebony wood handle and a lot of gold touches that give it an upscale but masculine feel.
This razor has a wider than normal 6/8 inch blade, which is excellent for men with wider faces who don’t necessarily need to do much detail work. This razor has a little bit of extra heft, so it works quickly and easily even over longer growth and doesn’t need to be rinsed as often during a shave. For the average man, though, it might be a little unwieldy.
As with the other best Dovo straight razors, it’s also a carbon steel blade with a full hollow grind, so it still has that nice flexibility that allows it to move nicely over the face.
Pros:
- The wide 6/8 inch blade is a little more powerful and works well over larger faces and coarse beards.
- It has a very upscale, masculine aesthetic with an ebony handle and gold plating on the blade.
- A carbon steel blade with a full hollow grind offers maximum sharpness and cutting power, with a touch of flexibility.
Cons:
- This blade could be too hefty for men with medium-coarse facial hair or smaller faces.
Dovo Straight Razor Best Quality 6/8
This is the 6/8 version of Dovo’s Best Quality razor, so it’s not too fancy but it does excellent work shaving down a larger face. Just like its sibling, this razor is exceptionally made but at a more accessible price point.
In practice, it’s very comparable to the Bismarck – the plastic handle is the only downgrade. This razor will require a bit of care, especially when you open and close it. Otherwise, shaving with it is a similar experience.
If the idea of a heftier razor appeals to you but you want something more budget-friendly, this is the straight razor for you. It’s made of the same high-quality carbon steel, and it’s also a full hollow grind that provides that ultra-close shave.
Pros:
- A wider version of my top pick, for men with larger faces.
- A very affordable no-frills choice that is great for beginners who want a heftier razor.
- Quality carbon steel allows it to achieve extreme sharpness.
- The blade has a full hollow grind which helps it feel sharp and keeps it moving flexibly over the face.
Cons:
- The increase in width will make this razor unwieldy for some beginners.
- The plastic handle isn’t Dovo’s most durable option.
Dovo Special Straight Razor Tortoiseshell
Finally, here is a jaunty imitation tortoiseshell razor that stands out as one of Dovo’s most unique designs. The style is eye-catching with a vintage flair, and the quality is what you’d expect from Dovo.
The blade on this razor is made of carbon steel, for optimal sharpness, with a 5/8 width that is ideal for most users. As with all other razors on this list, it has a full hollow ground which I prefer for the added flexibility against the skin. It’s decorated with 24k gold plating that helps to class up this razor. The quality in craftsmanship is a huge reason why we consider it to be one of the best DOVO straight razors.
It’s very similar to the Dovo Best Quality Razor, but the acrylic handle is a little more sturdy, not to mention stylish. It’s extra-smooth, as well, which can make it a little tougher to grip, although a touch of texture at the tang (the metal base below the blade) mitigates some of that trouble.
Pros:
- This eye-catching model has a stylish vintage aesthetic, with imitation tortoiseshell scales and gold decorations on the blade.
- The 5/8 inch blade is made of carbon steel with a full hollow grind, for optimal maneuverability, sharpness, and control.
- The acrylic handle is a little more sturdy compared to the Best Quality razor.
Cons:
- The smooth handle is a little harder to grip.
What Steel Does Dovo Use?
Almost all Dovo straight razors are made of carbon steel, with the one exception being Inox, which is made of stainless steel.
Carbon steel is the metal favored by most shaving experts, honemeisters, and knife enthusiasts for one very simple reason: It can achieve an immense level of sharpness.
To get a little more detailed, Dovo uses slightly alloyed high carbon steel, also referred to as silver steel. There’s no silver in it, but when highly polished (as is the case with most Dovo razors), it has an elegant silver sheen.
The metal undergoes a pretty intense treatment of heating, quenching, and tempering, which ultimately results in a very tough but slightly more rust-resistant alloy. It’s not quite as rust-resistant as stainless steel, but it can achieve a much higher level of sharpness.
I discuss the difference in a bit more detail in my article on the best straight razors, but to cut to the point: If you want the best shave imaginable, opt for carbon steel. If you’d rather have an easier-to-maintain razor, opt for stainless steel instead.
How Do You Use A Dovo Straight Razor?
Learning how to use a Dovo straight razor is an entire education. It’s not necessarily easy, but it’ll set you on the path to becoming a straight razor expert.
- To start, you’ll need to sharpen your straight razor. Dovo straight razors never arrive sharp enough to shave, so just stropping it won’t suffice. If you’re not interested in learning how to do your own sharpening, you can take your Dovo to your local honemeister instead.
- As for actually shaving, start by pre-softening your beard. You can just take a shower, wash your face with warm water, or hold a towel soaked with warm water over the bottom half of your face for a few minutes.
- Next, create a lather with shaving cream or soap and apply it to your face. If you haven’t created a lather before, check out my guide on how to use shaving cream.
- Once you’re ready to shave, open your razor so the blade and handle are at a 90-degree angle. Hold the razor so that your thumb and forefinger grip the tang (the non-sharp metal that connects the blade to the handle), and the rest of your fingers rest on the handle.
- Bring the razor against your skin at a 30-degree angle. One way to do this is to hold the razor flat against your skin, and then raise the spine slowly until you achieve an angle that’ll cut hair without cutting your skin.
- With your other hand, pull on your skin so the razor has a flat surface to glide over.
- In small, repeated strokes, start shaving downwards with the grain.
- Adjust your hold to account for different areas of the face and different directions of hair growth. Move your head for easier access to your neck and under the jawline, and be very careful over areas that jut out like your Adam’s apple.
- Once you’ve finished your first pass, look over to see if you missed any spots. If you want an even closer shave, you can apply more shaving cream and do a second cross-grain pass.
- Once you’re done, rinse your skin to remove stubble and shaving cream residue. Then, apply your favorite aftershave to soothe the skin.
Miles Freund
Miles is a professional men's grooming analyst who believes that to look good a man just needs to take good care of himself. He’s all about wet shaving, sustainability, and evidence-based grooming - an obsession he’s ready to share. Miles is known for his in-depth analysis of men's grooming products, brands, and best practices you can't find anywhere else.
